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CA 1-2 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated November 8, 1905
This is Schenker's initial approach to Cotta: he asks the firm to consider
publishing volume I of his Neue Musikalische Theorien und Phantasien, explains his
anonymity, points out the book's attacks of certain composers, explains his choice of
preferred publisher.
-
CA 5-6 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated November 22, 1905
Schenker submits the manuscript of Harmonielehre; asks Cotta not to show it to
potential rivals.
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CA [205] Typewritten extracts from contract between Cotta and Schenker, dated December 5,
1905
Excerpts from the contract between Cotta and Schenker for
Harmonielehre
-
CA 9 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated December 10, 1905
Schenker returns his contract signed, and promises the Afterword
soon.
-
CA 12-13 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated February 5, 1906
Schenker discusses the pros and cons of placement of music examples in
Harmonielehre and of the captions; he asks to receive in future
galley-proofs.
-
CA 15 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated February 15, 1906
Covering letter enclosing sheets and examples.
-
CA 16 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated February 26, 1906
Covering letter enclosing manuscript pages and music examples, and summarizing
the state of play.
-
CA 17 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated March 2, 1906
Covering letter enclosing proofs of gathering 3.
-
CA 18 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated April 2, 1906
Covering letter enclosing batch of music examples with text
commentaries.
-
CA 19 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated April 3, 1906
Schenker asks for two marginal rubrics to be corrected.
-
CA 20 Telegram from Schenker to Cotta, dated May 2, 1906
Schenker responds to an inquiry from Cotta (following up with a letter the
same day, CA 21).
-
CA 21 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated May 2, 1906
Schenker follows up on his telegram (CA 20) and makes a suggestion about
numbering.
-
CA 22 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated May 16, 1906
Schenker sends more manuscript and proofs of Harmonielehre.
-
CA 23 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated May 25, 1906
About numbering of music examples. — Schenker asks for more postal
wrappers.
-
CA 24 Telegram from Schenker to Cotta, dated May 25, 1906
Request regarding correction of gatherings.
-
CA 25 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated May 29, 1906
Schenker suggests that Harmonielehre be published in two volumes, indicating
that the Afterword has grown in size. — He asks for further galley-proofs.
-
CA 27 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated June 4, 1906
Schenker accepts Cotta's advice to keep Harmonielehre as one volume. — He will publish
the Nachwort separately. — He pleads for proofs of Part II of Harmonielehre before the
summer vacation.
-
CA 29 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated June 25, 1906
Schenker is correcting proofs of the remaining text, and asks for the missing
music examples.
-
CA 31 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated June 30, 1906
Schenker returns proofs, and draws two things to the attention of the
type-setter.
-
CA 32 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated July 2, 1906
Schenker explains Ex. 173 of Harmonielehre and makes suggestions as to the
layout.
-
CA 33 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated July 9, 1906
Schenker gives his summer address.
-
CA 34 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated August 18, 1906
Schenker returns final proofs of gatherings 17 and 18 of Harmonielehre, and
asks for gathering 20.
-
CA 35 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated August 23, 1906
Schenker asks for mailings to be sent to his Vienna.
-
CA 36 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated August 29, 1906
Schenker asks for ties.
-
CA 38 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated September 1, 1906
Schenker's wishes are those of Cotta.
-
CA 39 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated September 19, 1906
Schenker reports an error in the numbering of music examples in the
Harmonielehre proofs.
-
CA 41-42 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 1, 1906
Schenker goes back on his earlier agreement with Cotta, and makes an
impassioned case for including the "Nachwort" as Section 3 of Part II of
Harmonielehre.
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CA 44 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 6, 1906
Schenker accepts Cotta's case that his "Nachwort" should not be included
within Harmonielehre, promises to enable the book to be published on time, and plans to have
the "Nachwort" follow by the time of the Easter book fair.
-
CA 46 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 11, 1906
Revised proofs of the final gatherings of Harmonielehre have been sent, and
title-page will be sent shortly.
-
CA 47 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 13, 1906
Schenker submits his synopsis of Harmonielehre with one stipulation, and also
copy of the title-page.
-
CA 48 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 15, 1906
Schenker asks for more postal ties.
-
CA 49 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 26, 1906
Schenker submits the index to Harmonielehre.
-
CA 51 Telegram draft or carbon copy from Cotta to Schenker, dated November 3,
1906
Cotta requests duplicate of gathering 28.
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CA 52 Telegram from Schenker to Cotta, dated November 3, 1906
Schenker indicates gatherings sent off.
-
CA 50 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated November 3, 1906
Schenker submits further final proofs for Harmonielehre.
-
CA 53 Telegram from Schenker to Cotta, dated November 4, 1906
Schenker has mailed a duplicate of gathering 28.
-
CA 54-55 Stenographically handwritten letter(carbon copy) and account from Cotta to Schenker,
dated November 10, 1906
Cotta informs Schenker that Harmonielehre is printed, sends complimentary
copies, and encloses its account.
-
CA 56 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated November 22, 1906
Cotta should by now have received the sum covering the publishing and
marketing costs of Harmonielehre. Schenker lists five recipients of review
copies.
-
CA 57 Telegram from Alphons von Rothschild to Cotta, dated November 23, 1906
Rothschild has sent 4300.30 Marks.
-
CA 58 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated November 24, 1906
Schenker lists the journals for which the five music critics (as listed in CA
56) to receive review copies write.
-
CA 60 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated December 3, 1906
Schenker asks for a further review copy to be sent to Richard
Robert.
-
CA 61 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated December 27, 1906
Schenker asks for a copy to be sent to Eugen d'Albert.
-
CA 64 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated January 8, 1907
Schenker replies that anonymity re Harmonielehre must be
maintained.
-
CA 65 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated March 8, 1907
Schenker asks for a copy of Harmonielehre to be sent to Karl
Goldmark.
-
CA 66 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated March 30, 1907
Schenker asks for a review copy of Harmonielehre to be sent to Max
Graf.
-
CA 67 Stenographically handwritten letter (carbon copy) from Cotta to Schenker, dated
April 2, 1907
Cotta report that they sent a copy for review to the Österreichische Rundschau
in February.
-
CA 68 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated September 13, 1907
Schenker expects the press to be enthusiastic about Harmonielehre. — He
comments of the "Riemann school."
-
CA 71 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated December 16, 1907
Schenker proscribes the release yet of his name to Karl Grunsky. He comments
on a review of his Harmonielehre by Max Burkhardt. He will be sending Kontrapunkt
shortly.
-
CA 73 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated January 3, 1908
Schenker asks for the review of his Harmonielehre by Karl Grunsky to be sent
to him.
-
CA 74 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated January 16, 1908
Schenker asks for a copy of his Harmonielehre to be sent to
Busoni.
-
CA 75 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated February 8, 1908
Schenker asks for a copy of his Harmonielehre to be sent to Theodor
Frimmel.
-
CA 76 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated April 24, 1908
Schenker asks for a copy of his Harmonielehre to be sent to the Gesellschaft
der Musikfreunde; — He seeks advice regarding Theodor Frimmel and the Beethoven-Jahrbuch,
explaining the delay on Kontrapunkt I.
-
CA 79 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated June 5, 1908
Schenker gives permission to divulge his name as author of Harmonielehre to
Breithaupt.
-
CA 80 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated September 13 and 17,
1908
Schenker promises Counterpoint soon and speculates on publication by
Christmas; — Asks for a copy of Harmonielehre to be sent to his sister
Sophie.
-
CA 82 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated September 23, 1908
Schenker has dispatched the manuscript for Kontrapunkt.
-
CA 84 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated September 27, 1908
Schenker promises the remainder of Kontrapunkt in a few days.
-
CA 85 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 8, 1908
Schenker proposed that Kontrapunkt be divided into two
half-volumes.
-
CA 87 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 13, 1908
Schenker accepts Cotta's verdict against splitting Kontrapunkt into
two.
-
CA 89 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 17, 1908
Schenker confirms the terms of the Harmonielehre contract as applying to
Kontrapunkt.
-
CA 91 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated January 4, 1909
Schenker explains delay in returning proofs.
-
CA 92 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated January 4, 1909
Schenker directs Cotta to divulge his name on the title-page of the 2nd edn of
Harmonielehre; — He has meanwhile added a long polemic to the Introduction of Kontrapunkt
[I].
-
CA 94 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated April 8, 1909
Schenker inquires whether a batch of proofs has gone astray, and draws
attention to a review.
-
CA 96-98 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated May 26, 1909
Schenker raises again the splitting of Kontrapunkt into two half-volumes, or
even four installments. — He reports that his Beitrag zur Ornamentik has been adopted by the
Academy of Music, despite his being in a constant state of feud with all officialdom. — The
Academy's Director is a supporter of his theory. — Schenker outlines how earlier works of
his have become influential. — His Kontrapunkt is "eagerly awaited" and will be the "leading
work" on the subject; he argues the case for splitting the work on "psychological" and
"technical" grounds.
-
CA 102 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated June 3, 1909
Schenker has sent final proofs of gatherings 10 and 12, but has mislaid those
for 11 and asks for another copy.
-
CA 103 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated July 7, 1909
Schenker gives his summer address and asks for proofs to be sent
there.
-
CA 104 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated August 30, 1909
Schenker has returned to Vienna.
-
CA 105 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 27, 1909
The wrong proofs have been sent to Schenker by mistake.
-
CA 106-107 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated December 2, 1909
Schenker explains the necessity for some late interpolations into Kontrapunkt
I. — He may be able to include the title "Professor of Composition and Theory" against his
name on the title-pages of his works, and debates the advantages of such an appointment at
the Vienna Academy against the loss of independence. — Only anonymity has prevented
Harmonielehre from success so far.
-
CA 110 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated February 6, 1910
Schenker asks for proof-ties.
-
CA 111 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated May 1, 1910
Schenker asks urgently for remaining galley-proofs of Counterpoint
1.
-
CA 112 Carbon copy of stenographically handwritten letter from Cotta to Schenker, dated June
16, 1910
Cotta asks Schenker for manuscript of the prelims and any supplements for
Kontrapunkt I, and for a publicity blurb.
-
CA 114 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated June 30, 1910
Schenker promises manuscript of prelims for Kontrapunkt 1.
-
CA 115 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated July 4, 1910
Schenker encloses manuscript of all prelims for Kontrapunkt 1. He mentions
recent publication of his edition of J. S. Bach's Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, and speaks of
his plans for a Handbibliothek, for which he will present a proposal to Cotta. He announces
his departure and gives his summer address.
-
CA 116 Carbon copy of stenographically handwritten letter from Cotta to Schenker, dated July
6, 1910
Cotta acknowledges receipt of the manuscript prelims of Kontrapunkt 1 and
reiterates its request for material for its publicity blurb.
-
CA 117 Handwritten letter and publicity material from Schenker to Cotta, dated July 17,
1910
Covering letter with draft publicity material for Kontrapunkt 1. Schenker
promises to return proof of Preface.
-
CA 118 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated August 19, 1910
A fire at his hotel causes Schenker to ask whether Cotta has sent him final
proofs recently. — He inquires whether he might travel to Stuttgart to present his plan for
the Handbibliothek in person.
-
CA 120 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated September 6, 1910
Schenker asks whether Counterpoint [1] will be published in September, and
promises his "plans" soon.
-
CA 121-122 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated September 10, 1910
Schenker explains the basis for his "Handbibliothek," suggests an overarching
title and a separate title for the proposed first booklet, on Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. He
promises to return the manuscript of vol. II/1.
-
CA 125 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated September 15, 1910
Schenker asks Cotta to correct the page-count for Kontrapunkt
1.
-
CA 127 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated September 20, 1910
Schenker asks for a copy of Kontrapunkt 1 to be sent to Ernst Rudorff and
copies of that and Harmonielehre to be sent to Jenny Kornfeld at her Aussig
address.
-
CA 128 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated September 29, 1910
Schenker asks for a review copy of Kontrapunkt 1 to be sent to Ludwig
Karpath.
-
CA 129 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 3, 1910
Schenker redirects the copies of Harmonielehre and Kontrapunkt I destined for
Jenny Kornfeld to his own address in Vienna.
-
CA 132 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 13, 1910
Schenker incloses a reaction to the Preface of Kontrapunkt 1 by Adalbert
Seligmann. —He assures Cotta that their printing and production costs bill will be paid
promptly.
-
CA 134-135 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 21, 1910
Schenker divulges the identity of his benefactor, explains why there has been
a delay in payment by the Rothschild Bank, and promises payment by sometime in
January.
-
CA 136 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 23, 1910
Schenker asks that a review copy of Kontrapunkt 1 be sent to Max Graf;
incloses a review.
-
CA 139 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 25, 1910
Schenker asks for a copy of his Harmonielehre to be sent to Prof. Robert Fuchs
at the Vienna Academy.
-
DLA 69.930/1 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Halm, July 8, 1917
Schenker acknowledges Halm's letter; he discusses the relative merits of editions
of Beethoven variations, and looks forward to seeing Halm's review of his "Beethoven editions";
he is putting the finishing touches to Kontrapunkt 2.
-
DLA 69.930/2 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Halm, dated January 17, 1918
Schenker has received Halm's article about him, and expresses his appreciation.
Schenker's mother died in December 1917; he looked after her and his siblings from the time his
father died [1887]. Addresses a reservation on Halm's part—speaking to him as "leader to
leader"—and confirms his concept of the Volk. Schenker has a plan to put to Halm.
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DLA 69.930/3 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Halm, dated February 7, 1918
Schenker writes scathingly of UE's business practices; describes his
counter-tactics, and his experiences over Niloff, Instrumentations-Tabelle. He will read all of
Halm's writings and asks for a reading-list
-
DLA 69.930/4 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Halm, dated December 9, 1918
Schenker recounts to Halm how Sofie Deutsch had set up a trust for needy artists,
leaving Schenker to identify beneficiaries. Schenker offers to transfer 1,600 Kroner to him from
this trust.
-
DLA 69.930/5 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Halm, dated December 16, 1918
Schenker holds out prospect of payment [from a trust that he administers] via the
bank being authorized.
-
DLA 69.930/6 Printed/typed bank authorization to Halm, dated December 28, 1918
856 Marks transferred to Halm.
-
DLA 69.930/7 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Halm, dated February 13, 1919
Halm acknowledges recent mailings.
-
DLA 69.930/8 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Halm, dated October 27, 1919
Schenker writes of the deteriorating intellectual conditions in Germany and
Austria with respect to other nations, and of the devastating political and psychological
consequences. Schenker praises Halm's Klavierübung for its sensitivity to voice leading, and
speaks of it as an antidote to the decline of musical literacy. He hopes to talk with Halm about
these matters when he moves to Germany.
-
DLA 69.930/9 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Halm, dated January 18, 1920
Schenker acknowledges receipt of OJ 11/35, 14 and 15, thanking Halm for the
opportunity to see the two contracts, now enclosed. Schenker has been exploited by UE regarding
EA 101 and the "Little Library," and must now protect himself and extract better working
conditions. —Kontrapunkt 2 will show the world that his "Semper idem" motto applies at every
level from strict counterpoint through to free composition. In a musical garden of Eden of
genius, the rest of the world behaves like Adam and Eve. — Schenker congratulates Halm on his
successes and thanks him for his support.
-
DLA 69.930/10 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Halm, dated September 25, 1922
Acknowledges OJ 11/35, 20 and composition; expects to be able to comment on
Halm's Klavierübung in Tonwille 4; reports Leipzig University's decision not to appoint him;
speculates on the impact of Kontrapunkt 2 and Der freie Satz; public difficulty in accepting
Urgesetze. — Aristide Briand: The importance of being well-read on a topic before commenting in
public: Schoenberg and Reger; newspapers. — Maximilian Harden: although faithful to Schenker,
Harden had not mastered the topics on which he wrote. — National Govenment: Schenker's
publishing plans, including "The Future of Humanity": man's anthropomorphic thinking is a
delusion, he needs to adapt to nature, to return to a primitive state, to abandon "development"
and "progress" and return to primordial laws; inferior man wants to "govern" (bowel wants to
become brain); Schenker deplores "artifice" (French) as against nature (German). — Things
French: praises German superiority over French in its joy of work. — Higher Plane: the German
should not abase himself before the Frenchman.
-
DLA 69.930/11 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Halm, dated November 2, 1922
Schenker acknowledges receipt of two booklets on youth and the new republic,
returns them, comments on them critically: idealistic German democrats desire maximal
remuneration with minimal work; illustrates point by difficulties with maids in Schenker
household; German democrats naively overestimate social and intellectual status of non-German
commoners (French, British, American); Schenker decries cosmopolitanism and those Germans who
advocate individuality at the expense of society; Schenker praises the fascists as countering
communism and social leveling, compares Mussolini's Italy favorably with present-day
Germany.
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DLA 69.930/12 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Halm, dated April 3‒4, 1924
In response to matters raised by Halm in two previous letters, Schenker discusses
figuration, distinguishing between that which works only on the surface and that which arises
out of the middle and background, drawing on primal intervals. He also concedes that he heard
Bruckner improvising, and criticizes it adversely. He refers to Reger, and outlines plans for
forthcoming volumes of Der Tonwille.
-
DLA 69.930/13 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Halm, dated October 6, 1924
Asks Halm to send some of his chamber music to Rudolf Pollak, with prospect of
performance of the A major string quartet. —Deplores current situation over Sofie Deutsch
stipends. —Reports difficulties with UE and intention to change publisher.
-
DLA 69.930/14 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Halm, dated January 22, 1927
Schenker thanks Halm for sending his book, and hopes to read it
soon.
-
DLA 69.930/15 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Halm, dated July 11, 1927
Thanking Halm for his Beethoven book, he believes that their misunderstandings
could be removed and hopes Der freie Satz will help bring that about; gives order of publication
for Meisterwerk II and Der freie Satz, and compares his "Das Organische der Fuge" with the work
of others on Bach. — Schenker took no part in the Vienna Beethoven festival. — Describes his
correspondence with Hindemith.
-
DLA 69.930/16 Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Halm, dated November 21, 1927
Schenker asks for confirmation of receipt of Meisterwerk II, and thanks Halm for
the parcel of sheet music.